(a) Any person who has satisfactorily completed a probationary period in the career service and who has separated therefrom, may be reinstated to a position with the same or similar duties to those he previously performed, provided his reemployment is not prohibited by rules or laws relating to the reemployment of employees separated for cause or who have abandoned their positions.

(b) Reinstatement to the same class of work or grade previously held is noncompetitive.